Global moduli for contacts (Q1359477)

This paper defines and studies \(r\)-order contact ``data schemes'' \(D^r_kX\) associated with a given smooth ambient \(X\). \(D^r_kX\) parametrizes the data shared by two embedded varieties of arbitrary dimension \(k\) when they make contact of a given (but again arbitrary) order \(r\). If the embedded varieties are smooth, the \(r\)-th order data can be given locally by the higher derivatives of their Gauss maps, but if the contact point is singular in one of the embedded varieties, new data appear in the boundary of the space parametrizing those derivatives. All these properties are nicely reflected in the construction of \(D^r_kX\), this is smooth and proper over \(X\) so that it contains in a natural way the limits of the data for all possible \(r\)-th contacts between smooth \(k\)-dimensional subvarieties. The construction is made from the general notion of \textit{derived triangle}, not to be confused with derived triangles in triangulated categories. The starting point is a ``triangle'' \[ Y @< b<< X@>a>> G_k(TY), \] where \(b\) is a smooth morphism of smooth varieties and \(G_k(TY)\) is the Grassmannian of \(k\)-planes in the tangent bundle \(TY\); the morphism closing the triangle is the natural projection \(p: G_k(TY)\to Y\). If we think of \(a\) as a \(G_k(TY)\)-valued point of the \(Y\)-scheme \(X\), then \(a\) is defined by a \(k\)-subbundle \(\Sigma\) of \(b^\ast(TY)\) and it gives rise to a subbundle \({\mathcal F}=(\partial b)^{-1}(\Sigma)\subset TX\), called the Semple bundle by the authors, where \(\partial B: TX\to b^\ast Y\) is the derivative of \(b\). The authors then define a new scheme \(DX\) (which actually depends also on \(b\) and not only on \(X\)) as the Grassmannian of \(k\)-planes of \({\mathcal F}\), \(DX=G_k({\mathcal F})\). Then, \(DX\) is smooth and the natural map \(Db: DX\to X\) is proper. Moreover, the universal \(k\)-subbundle \({\mathcal U}\) of \[ (Db)^\ast({\mathcal F})\subset (Db)^\ast(TX) \] gives rise to a morphism \(Da: DX\to G_k(TX)\) of \(X\)-schemes, so that we have a new ``triangle'' \(X @<Db<< DX@>Da>> G_k(TX)\) and the procedure can be iterated. The data schemes for \(r\)-order \(k\)-dimensional contacts in \(X\) are obtained specializing the above general construction to the triangle \[ X @< p<< G_k(TX)@>Id>> G_k(TX). \] By iterating, the authors obtain a sequence \[ \cdots \to D_k^{r+1}X \to D_k^rX \to \cdots \to D_k^1X \to X \] of smooth maps and schemes. This construction unifies many enumerative results. Among them, the authors compute the intersection rings of \(D^1_1X\) and \(D_1^2X\) when \(X\) is the 3-dimensional projective space and recover a formula of \textit{H. Schubert} [Math. Ann. 17, 154-212 (1880; JFM 12.0525.01)] for the number of second-order contacts between a general curve and members of a general two-dimensional family of surfaces, a formula formerly established in the nonsingular case by \textit{F. Rossello-Llompart} [Enumerative geometry, Proc. Conf., Sitges/Spain 1987, Lect. Notes Math. 1436, 225-255 (1990; Zbl 0729.14005)]. The authors also define a second fundamental form and its higher order analogue. This generalizes and globalizes the local forms of \textit{P. Griffiths} and \textit{J. Harris} [Ann. Sci. Éc. Norm. Supér., IV. Sér. 12, 355-452 (1979; Zbl 0426.14019)]. As an application, the intersection ring of \(D_2^2X\) for the 3-dimensional projective space and its subscheme of symmetric data are calculated. Finally, the authors consider smooth complex manifolds with a connection and study the data schemes over them, obtaining differentiable sections of \(D^2_kX\) for all \(k\) via moving frames and describe the dense open subscheme parametrizing nonsingular data. The paper is very clearly written and provides a unified approach to enumerative results highly readable also for non experts in the field.